You and Space Travel (1951)

One of my favorite early space books. The illustrations are impressionistic and very "50s" in style.

Lewellen, John. Illustrated by Fitch, Winnie and Phelan, Joe. You and Space Travel.  Chicago: Children's Press. Inc. (60 p.) 24 cm. Cloth, DJ. 1951

Reprinted numerous times this is one of the first children's books about the possibility of space travel. It has illustrations primarily of rockets and how they work.  There are several spacesuit illustrations as well as a landing on the Moon. See 1958 reprint.

Why didn't the first astronauts look like this?  A brave group of balding and hipster explorers.

 I also have been waiting for my "rocket stop" (Public transit at its finest.)

In case you doubted that children's authors worked with scientists and engineers to research these books, this acknowledgment should make you feel better.